Graduate case studies
Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.
Develop and expand my coding knowledge through internal and external learning, including self-study and attending conferences. Bring forward new and alternative ideas to the team from the perspective of a recent graduate. Act as a brand ambassador attending university events throughout the recruitment campaign. As a Tech Academy Grad, our main focus is on learning and expanding our knowledge to allow us to grow and pursue a career in tech.
A typical day for me can start whenever really suits me, as our hours are as flexible as our business. The first thing I do at work is to grab a hot drink of some kind (you get free tea and coffee here) and have a quick catch-up with my squad. Around 10 am every day, my squad do a 'stand-up', to discuss all the tasks we currently need to complete, assigning tasks to each member of the team. This allows us to know exactly what we need to focus on that day. Working in the Infrastructure Tribe means that we have a very large array of software and code we manage and create, and so each day I can work on something completely different. As a graduate, each day is split up with some one-to-ones with my team to focus on learning something new and being able to ask all the questions I feel, and then putting that into practice on my own task. My squad is friendly, so once a week we try to go to lunch together, and often have tea breaks to ensure we all get up and have a little walk around the office.
When I go to work, I get to learn something new every day, from some of the best minds in the business and apply it straight to my everyday work. Along with every line of work, getting given a large task and working on it over time, and succeeding gives a great sense of achievement. This is something I love because writing and editing code can pull up lots of errors, and working on it to get it running is very rewarding. Also working at a place such as SBG, going to work is enjoyable. The layout of the offices with pool tables, table football and bean bags makes a very relaxing environment, allowing you to work to your potential. Not to mention, the Sheffield office has a helter-skelter!
Tech isn't a walk in the park, especially if you didn't do any formal training, however, it is such an achievement when you produce either a bit of software or code correctly. Sometimes I get given a task which seems daunting, and as if it is impossible, however, with the help of my team and being able to split the project into smaller sections, it is always manageable. Moving into any field that is new to you, will always be a challenge, but if you're up for a challenge, then you will fit right in!
Tech is a sector that has expanded massively over the last decade, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Working in tech gives you so much potential, it is the building blocks of everything you do and use, and being able to understand the basics of it, is so exciting to me.
My undergraduate degree was in Biomedical Science, and so there isn't much knowledge from my lectures that I can bring into the office each day, however, there are so many core skills that I learnt throughout my time at University which is very useful in my line of work. In the Tech Academy Grad programme, we use problem-solving skills, require a pragmatic approach, creativity and the ability to learn and adapt quickly. To gain experience in these set of skills, I recommend doing something extra-curricular, outside of your degree as this will be invaluable to you.
After graduating, I went straight into the Tech Academy Grad programme in August. After the two years of the grad programme, I hope to get a company-sponsored Master’s degree in Digital and Technology Solutions, accredited by Sheffield Hallam University.
My career plans are very much tech-orientated. I hope to stay within the company and potentially work my way up to a management level. There is so much to learn in tech, and I am only just at the beginning, which is very exciting.
My advice would be to go for it, you have nothing to lose! I had no experience in tech, having studied Biomedical Science, but I decided it was something I wanted to do and so I chose to get some experience coding as part of the Code First: Girls Campaign, which runs through the University of Sheffield. I really enjoyed it, and after that, I knew a career in tech was for me.
Last updated: 04 Nov 2019